Shillong, July 28: The birth rate in Finland has reached a historic low in the first half of 2023, as reported by the country’s statistics office. Only 21,180 babies were born during this period, marking a decline of 1,082 births compared to the previous year. This figure represents the lowest number of births recorded since data collection began in 1900.
Finland’s fertility rate has been steadily decreasing since the 2010s when it was at 1.87. The years 2020 and 2021 were exceptions to this trend, with a temporary increase in births during the Covid pandemic. However, in 2022, the fertility rate dropped to 1.32. The decline in birth rate has continued in 2023, with the total preliminary fertility rate for the last 12 months reaching a record low of 1.28.
As per IANS, despite the concerning decline in the birth rate, Finland’s population saw an increase of 14,112 people between January and June 2023, largely due to immigration. During this period, 28,345 people arrived in Finland from other countries, while 5,596 people left the country to settle elsewhere, thus reversing the negative balance observed in 2022.
Notably, most of the immigrants came from Ukraine, Russia, the Philippines, and India, contributing to Finland’s population growth during this period.